Sink stopper



Oct. 30, 1962 A. w, sMrrH 3,060,459

- SINK STOPPER Filed Nov. 10, 1960 Utili@ This invention relates to plumbing fixtures and more particularly to an improved stopper for the garbage disposal in a sink.

An objective of the invention is to provide a sink opening stopper which is of simple construction and which adapts itself to the usual range of variations in throat diameters of the garbage disposal unit, thimble or connection element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stopper for the garbage disposal unit connection of a sink which is of unitary construction wherefore no crevices exist for the entrance or retention of food particles or moisture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sink opening stopper which is economical to manufacture and which is of sturdy construction whereby it readily withstands rough and careless usage.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a stopper for a sink opening which includes a resiliently iiexible opening engaging element of greater diameter than the opening in which the stopper is used and which therefor retains its closure effecting function through a wide range of wear and attrition.

The foregoing objects in view, together with such additional objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts, and the construction, combination and arrangement of parts described, by way of example, in the following specification of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of said specilication and in which drawings:

FIG. l is side elevational view of a sink stopper embodying the present invention,

FIGS. 2 and 3 are, respectively, top and bottom plan views of the stopper shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a medial sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2, and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are, respectively views of smaller and larger diameters sink openings in section showing the manner in which the stopper of the present invention accomodates the variation in opening sizes.

Referring to the drawings the illustrated embodiment of the invention includes a base member 11 comprising a shallow, dish-like, metal element including a bottom portion 2, a low peripheral wall 3 extending at right angles to the plane of said bottom portion and terminating at its distal edge in an outwardly extending annular flange 4. The center of the bottom portion is provided with a hole 5 through which the reduced diameter shank 6 of a metal handle 7 extends from the upper side of said bottom portion and is peened over against the under side of the base member as at 8 to secure the handle thereto. The exposed portion of the handle may be of any desired configuration the illustrated form being of modified, inverted, frusto-conical configuration with the upper, larger end being slightly concavely dished as shown in FIG. 4. Obviously, other means of attaching the handle to the base member may be employed such as brazing or welding, if desired.

The bottom and the outer wall surface of the base member is covered with a rubber pad 9 which is molded in place thereon. As preparation for the attachment of said pad to the base member in the molding process, the surface thereof may be treated to insure a complete bonding of the rubber to the metal. This can be either coat- States Patent O ice ing the surface of the base member with a suitable heat and pressure activated adhesive such as a suitable epoxy resin or by brass plating the base member. If the base member happens to be made of brass, the plating, obviously would be unnecessary. The essential is that the rubber pad shall be rmly bonded to the base member throughout its contact therewith.

As shown in FIG. 4, this rubber pad component includes a circular bottom area l1li which is co-extensive with the bottom surface of the base member and a side wall portion 11 having an outer diameter which is slightly greater than the diameter of the outer edge of the flange 4, the said outer diameter of the wall portion (see FIGS. 5 and 6) being great enough only to engage the stopperengaging shoulder S in the thimble T by which a garbage disposal unit D is attached to a sink opening O. About the mid-height thereof, the wall portion 11 carries a thin, resilient, radially extending annular rib 12, the outer diameter of which is greater than the inner diameter of the thimble in which the stopper is to be inserted. Thus, in a smaller diameter thimble as illustrated in FIG. 5, this rib will be deflected upwardly into substantial parallelism with the face of the wall portion 11, while in the larger diameter thimble (see FIG. 6) it will be deiiected only slightly out of its normal horizontal attitude.

In either event, the resilience of this rib causes it to forrn a tight seal and securely close the sink opening. This capacity for compensating for varying diameters of thimbles also permits a great degree of wear on this sealing rib before it is worn away to an extent that renders the stopper useless; such extent of wear being greater than that of any stopper not having a corresponding rib.

Thus, there has been provided a stopper for sink openings Which is sturdy and essentially of one piece construction, which fits the usual range of sink openings for which it is intended and which, moreover, has capacity to remain effective for its intended purpose through a wide range of wear incident to use. While in the foregoing specication there has been disclosed a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, it is not to be inferred therefrom that the invention is limited to the exact details of construction thus disclosed by way of example and it will be understood that the invention includes as well all such changes in modifications in the parts and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as shall come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A stopper adapted to be applied to sink drain opening means and to accommodate a range of sizes of such means, said means having a peripheral wall providing an inner annular seating surface, said stopper comprising a rigid metal disk carrying a centrally disposed handle at the upper side thereof and having an integrally formed peripheral wall portion extending upwardly from the plane of the body of said disk terminating in an outwardly extending, annular ange portion, and a rubber pad firmly bonded to and covering the underside of said disk and the outer surface of said wall portion and said flange; the portion of said pad bonded to said wall being of substantial thickness and including an integrally formed, radially extending, thin resilient, peripheral iin projecting therefrom and effective to yieldingly engage said seating surface of the drain opening means to which said stopper is applied, said peripheral iin being capable of axial distortion to accommodate said stopper to the size of the said drain opening means.

2. A drain opening stopper as claimed in claim l in which said wall portion of said pad has an outer diameter 3 which is less than the inner diameter of the smallest drain opening means in the range of sizes thereof for Which said stopper is intended by an amount which is not less than twice the thickness of said iin, and in which the outer diameter of said n is suiciently greater than the inner diameter of the largest of said drain opening means in said range to be deflected incident to entry of said fin into said largest drain opening means in said range.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

